GE2025: ‘An honour and privilege to serve’, says Ng Eng Hen on retiring from politics after 24 years

SINGAPORE: After 24 years in politics – 14 of that as Defence Minister – Dr Ng Eng Hen on Friday (Apr 18) announced his retirement from politics ahead of the upcoming General Election.

At a press conference unveiling the new slate of candidates in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, where he has been MP since 2001, he said that it was time for him to “make room for renewal and regeneration” within the People’s Action Party’s (PAP).

“It’s been an honour and privilege to serve my residents and Singaporeans at large for five terms,” said Dr Ng.

The 66-year-old said he informed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of his decision “some months ago”, adding that renewal in its ranks was a “cardinal strength and virtue” of the party.

After all, in the past, incumbent MPs and ministers who could have stayed on had done the same for newcomers like him.

“I think it’s a virtue that the PAP forces itself to renew, and that for more senior politicians like myself, we emulate the examples that we saw when we came in as newbies … if older ones don’t step aside for new ones, you don’t prepare for the future,” said Dr Ng.

Reflecting on his political journey, Dr Ng said that when he was first introduced as a candidate 24 years ago, he had no thoughts of joining the government.

“It was just to be a member of parliament. I was a busy surgeon, that is, I thought I could be a surgeon as well as a Member of Parliament,” he said.

“After that, I was invited to join government, so I had to choose. So it was not a brief interlude, it was quite a long interlude.”